Clip for clothes racks



Jan. 29, 1952 MACCAFERRI 2,583,784

CLIP FOR CLOTHES RACKS Filed Feb. 8, 1949 II/II 'IIIIII IN V EN TOR. Ila/'2 0 Ma cm arm m3 ,4 rmR/vir Patented Jan. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE our FOR oIloTHEs RAcKs Mario Maccaferri, Rye, N. Y.

Application February 8, I949, Serial No. 75,120 6 Claims. totem-#91) This invention relates to clothes racks having a horizontal rod upon which clips may be supported.

The invention consists in the combination of means in a clip to enable the clip to move freely on the rod of a clothes rack, to any position desired, but looking the clip to the rod, when the clip supports any article of wearing apparel or the like. The invention includes complementary rod holding recesses, one in each jaw member in the handle portion thereof, so that when the handles are pressed together, and the jaws opened the rod is lockingly embraced to hold the clip to the rod against longitudinal movement.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter, embodiments thereof shown in the drawings, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clothes hanger Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the forces acting, when the clip is open like in Fig. 4., and is a diagram of Fig. 6; and

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are sectional views of the parts of the clip spaced apart,

Similar characters of reference indicate cor responding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1, the clothes rack It consists of a horizontal portion II with end depending portions l2 and I3, preferably of plastic material,

having a centrally disposed hook member M for supporting the rack to a closet bar. The depending portions |2 and I3 support a rod [5 preferably of metal and cylindrical in contour.

Clips I6, preferably of plastic, are supported on said rod l5, and such clips may be of the plastic type as shownin Figs. 1 to 6, or any other type embodying the invention, in which means are provided to allow the jaws of the clips when closed to permit a free longitudinal substantially frictionless movement of the clips along the rod Hi to enable them to be placed in any position suitable to the article or apparel to be supported, and to bring abouta locking of the clip to the rod so as to avoid longitudinal movement, when the clip supports any such article. For example, a

ladies skirt may require a larger spacing of the clips. than trouser legs. The clip may be used for kitchen .driers, pants hangers, etc.

In Fig. 2, two jaw members and 48, have a pivotal movement in respect to each, due to one jaw "having a pair of rounded projections 19 Handles 20 and 20a are spaced from each other above this hinge,

and jaws 2| and Zia press against each other,

these jaws having registering hills 2-2 and valleys 22a to securely grip the article to be supported. A spring 25 having a common curved portion 26 has two like legs, in reverse, with corrugations 21 and 28. When thespring 25 is in normal position, as shown in Fig. 2, that is, the jaws 2| and 2m are closed, then the main pressure of the spring is on the corrugations 28, and the translated pressure is mainly on the jaws, and not on the rod I5. When, however, the handle portions 23 and 20a are pressed together and the jaws 2| and 2m are opened (Fig. 4'), the

main pressure of the spring 25 .is on the corrugations 21, and this pressure is translated to the rod l5, and the rod becomes locked to the clothes pin by frictional. engagement and cannot be moved longitudinally along the rod 15, as is the case when the translated pressure is not on the rod (Fig. 2). The .diameter of the rod -|5 *must not be too large since then it cannot enter the complementary recesses and it must not be too small, since then no pressure can be exerted on'it. The-diameter must be such that the rod is within the pressure action .of the jaws when they are open.

In Fig. 4 is shown the locking action brought about by the open jaws supporting an article 39, as trousers, skirt, or the like. The corresponding enlarged view is shown in Fig. 6. It will be noted from a comparison of Figs. 5 and-6 that the space 3| above the rod H5 in Fig. 5, is larger than the space 32 above therod IS in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 7, a diagrammatic view of the open jaw shows the grip at 33 and 36, the wall 34 spaced from the rod 5 at 35. The wall 34 has a curvature of smaller radius than the radius R, which brings about the gripping action, together with the fact, that in jawopen position the arc is transposed to embrace the sides of the rod, as seen by comparing Fig. *6 with Fig 5. The jaw members, when the jaws are open, act as compressors on therod.

It .will be noted that the clip is of simple. con struction, permitting easy assembly. The members *ll and |8 are substantially identical. They are placed jaw face to jaw face, and the spring is snapped on, whereupon the clip is ready for use. The jaws 2| and 2111, are below-the hinge |9|3a, and the walls of the complementary recesses 34 and 34a areabove the hinge |9|9a,. The heavy pressure is translated to the walls of the recesses 34-43411, when the jaws are open. When the spring 215 :is inserted, the ends '28 slide :on the inclineddivergent walls 2111 until I wish it "to be understoodzthat I do :not 'desire tobe limited. to the exactdetails of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

-I claim:

1. In combination, a clip including a pair of jaw members, a pivotal connection for said jaw members, clamping jaws on said jaw members at one side of said pivotal connection, said jaw members providing at the opposite side of said 'pivotal connection a pair of spaced handles,

means adapted to continuously bias said jaw members about said pivotal connection in directions to bring together and close said clamping jaws and separate said handles, complementary bearing surfaces on said jaw members at the side of said pivotal connection opposite said clamping jaws, said complementary bearing surfaces forming therebetween a supporting rod receiving space, a supporting rod mounted in and being extended through said space between and in slidable engagement with said bearing surfaces, and said bearing surfaces adapted to be moved inwardly toward each other into clamping engagement with said rod by inward movements of said handles to separate said clamping aws.

2. In combination, a clip including a pair of jaw members, a pivotal connection for said jaw members, clamping jaws on said jaw members at one side of said pivotal connection, said jaw members providing at the opposite side of said pivotal connection a pair of spaced handle members adapted to be moved inwardly toward each other to rock said jaw members about said pivotal connection to positions separating said clamping jaws, spring means adapted to continuously bias said jaw members in directions to close said clamping jaws and separate said handle members, said handle members being provided on the facing inner sides thereof with complementary recesses, respectively, providing therewithin bear-' pivotal connection with clamping jaws, a spring ing surfaces defining therebetween a support-,

ing rod receiving space, and a supporting rod mounted in and extended through said space in freely slidable engagement with said bearing surcomplementary bearing surfaces on the facing inner sides thereof, respectively, immediately adjacent said pivotal connection, said bearin surfaces defining therebetween supporting rod receiving space, a supporting rod mounted in and being extended through said space in slid- 'able engagement with said bearin surfaces when said clamping jaws are closed, and said bearing surfaces being adapted to be moved inwardly toward each other into clamping engagement with said supporting rod by movements of said handle members toward each other to open said clamping jaws.

4. In a clip, in combination, a pair of jaw members, a pivotal connection for said jaw members intermediate the ends thereof, said jaw members being provided atone side'of said about said pivotal connection to positions closing said jaws, said jaw members providing at the opposite side of said pivotal connection a pair of spaced handles for movements toward each other to rock said jaw members about said pivotal connection to positions opening said clamping jaws, said spring having a common base portion and extended legs, each of said legs being provided with a pair of transverse corrugations therein, said legs being positioned ex tended along the outer sides, respectively, of said jaw members at the clamping jaw side of said pivotal connection with said corrugations in inward pressing engagement on the respective outer sides of the jaw members, said jaw members being provided with complementary bearing surface-forming recesses on the inner facing sides thereof at the handle side of and adjacent said pivotal connection, said facing bearing surfaces being spaced apart and defining therebetween a supporting rod receiving bore, and said bearing surfaces being adapted to be moved inwardly toward each other to decrease the spacing therebetween by movements of said handle members toward each other to move said clamping jaws from closed to open positions.

5. The combinatilon as defined in claim 4, in which the jaw members have inclined, divergent outer side surfaces upon which the ends of the spring legs are adapted to slide, and the jaw members are provided with transverse grooves therein respectively adapted to receive the ends of said spring legs to seat and retain the spring in assembled position.

6. In a clip, in combination, a pair of complementary jaw members, a pivotal connection for said jaw members intermediate the ends thereof, clamping jawsonsaid members at one side of said pivotal connection, said jaw members at the opposite side of said connection providing handle members for movementstoward each other to rock said jaw members about said connection to positions opening said clamping jaws, a spring adapted to continuously bias said jaw members about said connection to positions closing said clampin jaws and separating said handle members, said" handle members being formed at the inner facing sides thereof with outwardly inclined, diverging inner surfaces, and complementary bearing surfaces on the inner facing sides of said handle members positioned between the inner ends of said outwardly inclined diverging surfaces and said pivotal connection, said facing bearing surfaces defining a support rod receiving space therebetween and being adapted to be moved inwardly toward each other by inward movements of said handle members to open said clamping jaws.

MARIO MACCAFERRI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date I 1,893,508 Rosenberg Jan. 10, 1933 2,455,258 Levitin Nov. 30, 1948 2,461,333 Maccaferri Feb. 8, 1949 2,475,436 Roark July 5, 1949 

